Posted on 09/09/2010 10:48:10 AM PDT by Doomonyou
A Bad Idea
International Burn a Koran Day
By: Chuck Colson|Published: September 8, 2010 5:00 AM
Remembering the terrorist attacks of 9/11 is something we should do. But there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to do it.
Pastor Terry Jones’s thoughts about Islam are simple and direct. The title of his book says it all: Islam is of the Devil. The same thought is on a sign outside of his church, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, and on the T-shirts and coffee mugs the church sells.
In order to raise greater awareness of the dangers of Islam, Jones has designated 9/11 as “International Burn a Koran Day.” According to their Facebook page Jones hopes, and I quote, “To bring awareness to the dangers of Islam and that the Koran is leading people to hell. Eternal fire is the only destination the Koran can lead people to so we want to put the Koran in its place—the fire!” End quote.
Every Christian believes that no man can come to God but through Jesus Christ. That’s not a bigoted remark, that’s simply the truth claim that underlies Christianity. And I would expect that Muslims would tell me that my religion, Christianity, is a false religion.
The unique thing about the United States is that we are prepared to fight for and defend every single individual’s right to his or her choice to practice the religion of their choice. We learn to respect our differences in a free, pluralistic society.
I have also referred repeatedly on BreakPoint to the dangers of the Islamist movement, which is an ideologically extreme perversion of the Islamic faith. And this is why so many armed conflicts around the world involve Muslims—often fighting other Muslims.
And the attempts to inject parts of Sharia Law in the United States and Britain are a hazard to our constitutional order.
All that being said, I find Jones’s plan to burn the Koran foolish and contemptible. It poses dangers Jones has either overlooked or chooses to ignore.
As Dr. John Rankin, president of the Theological Education Institute correctly notes, if Jones burns the Qur’an, “the images will reverberate on the Internet internationally, and this could lead to unparalleled fury in the Muslim world.”
And most of that fury will be directed into violence against Christians in Muslim areas throughout the world. If Jones goes through with this horrid plan, people—Christian people—will suffer and some will die.
General Petraeus has even expressed fear for our troops in Afghanistan.
Second, Rankin comments, “The Gospel would thus be slandered.” The Apostle Peter tells Christians that we are to be good apologists, but as we give people reasons for our hope in Christ, it has to be “with gentleness and respect.”
Burning the Koran will be taken as the height of disrespect by the Muslim world where copies of the Koran are treated as sacred objects and are handled with the utmost care and reverence. Nothing in the Bible encourages us to treat Muslims or any other religious group with this kind of contempt.
Rankin concludes, “The stakes are high in terms of the reputation of the Gospel and protection of innocent lives in tinderbox sections of the Muslim world.”
My most fervent prayer is that Jones will reconsider and cancel the Koran burning in the name of the Gospel of Peace.
Part of a Christian worldview is the ability to articulate what we believe and why we believe it in the face of competing worldviews like Islam. But we detract from our witness if we allow anything except the Gospel to offend our unsaved neighbors.
Thats it. When you don’t have a coherent message, break out the “Nazi” crap. That crap is beyond stupid and is getting old. (Actually, it’s been old since about 1949.)
I think the middle ages mounted a more effective Crusade against the Muslim onslaught than that of the modern elites.
The truth MUST be spoken, but as Paul learned, after much humbling, was that Christ meant it to be spoken "in love"--and with "respect and gentleness".
God can defend His sacred Word--he does not need a Pastor to do it with an act that smacks of hubris clothed in a flimsy garb of "honoring God".
OMG, you are zotted, Winston. LOL
Yeah, let’s hope we stay smart, and not repeat the crusades.
I am not concerned about the reaction of Muslims either - they can go and suck eggs. What I am concerned about is the polarizing effect of such an action and the fact that conservatives and churches will then be singled out by the media as hateful and that this will have an effect on voting come election time.
What may seem like a good forceful demonstration of a point initially may end up being a monumental mistake. It makes me wonder whether this Pastor is working for the other side as they will make a meal out of this. It reinforces stereotypes that conservatives have been working hard to overcome.
I hope I am wrong - I often am but I think it is something to consider.
Mel
Do you believe terrorists represent all muslims?
No I don't say that, the MSM will use this opportunity to paint all Christians like this guy, like they do when these nut jobs come out from under the rocks where they live.
The jury is still out on all muslims, the silence from "moderate" muslims is deafening when it comes to islamic terrorism.
Good post, Thanks.
everybody should threaten to burn a koran unless obama releases his long form birth certificate!
that’ll put barry in a pickle! and make him look like an idiot!
OK, I should have used “Liberals” instead of “Nazi’s.” Feel better?
Thank you.
I hope someone passes my idea along to Pastor Jones.
He's right, dhimmitude will work if we just give it a chance.
OK, I should have used “Liberals” instead of “Nazi’s.” Feel better?
Yes, but “Leftists” Would be even better! LOL! The Nazi’s were Leftists and Socialists. The reason the Nazi’s and the Communists were such bitter enemies in post WWI Germany was that they were “competitors” in trying to recruit the same people and to see who could impose their own particular form of Totalitariansm first.
The more “Nationalistic” form of Naziism proved far more “popular” than the “Internationist” form of Communism in the end. And the Nazis were just as ruthless as the Communists in implementing it.
I wonder what God thinks about it.
Maybe that’s a better standard.
Well I guess it’s moot now, he just cancelled the BBQ.
Gee that was fun!
LLS
I believe in the current era, all terrorists have been muslim.
LLS
Yes, it is a better standard, but I can’t ask Him questions like I can actual people here on FR.
Obviously, it’s ok with Him, afterall, He knew the guy was going to do this before He even created him.
Sure we can. He enjoys it. He responds to those in fellowship with Him by His protocols. The trick is remaining in fellowship so that we aren't interrupted or distracted by other things when He responds. We are to continue in prayer always and He also communicates with us. It's bidirectional, although recognize it might not be what we think it should be, but He is indeed very real and loves to communicate with us.
No, we can’t. I do not know God’s e-mail address or His URL, and His answers cannot be shared and compared with others, because people have different beliefs. If I said God talked to me and said something that you did not believe, then you would say I was wrong, and I wasn’t really talking to God, wouldn’t you?
I am interested in what people say, not God. That is why I ask people questions.
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